1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus that supplies a film to a packaging unit, which package products using the film while rotating a film roll to supply the film therefrom. The present invention also relates to a packaging system including such packaging apparatus.
2. Background Information
Film rolls in packaging apparatuses are generally replaced by temporarily stopping the operation of the apparatus, manually removing the paper tube (core) of the finished film roll, and then mounting a new film roll. However, the operation of replacing the film roll has been hard work and has imposed a significant burden on the operator, because normally almost 1000 m of the film roll is wound around the paper tube, and the roll therefore weighs up to several dozen kilograms. Furthermore, since the operation of the apparatus is stopped while the film roll is replaced, the replacement is preferably completed efficiently in the shortest possible amount of time.
In view of this, packaging apparatuses have been conceived which automatically replace film rolls in this manner with a machinery. However, such packaging apparatuses described above have the following problems.
Specifically, since these packaging apparatuses described above have a double-end supporting configuration in which the film roll is supported at both sides of the axis of rotation, a new film roll must be mounted from a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Therefore, a complicated structure is needed that supports the film roll. As a result, the mechanism is complicated, which prolongs the time required for replacement of film rolls.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved package machine that addresses the above discussed problem. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.